"...next in the line of great American flute virtuosos, right up there with Julius Baker, Paula Robinson and Ransom Wilson."

Over the past fifteen years, flutist Jeannine Dennis has established herself as both a dynamic soloist and sensitive ensemble performer. Her purity of sound and technical gifts have brought praise from fellow musicians and critics alike.

A native of San Jose, Jeannine Dennis began flute studies at the age of nine, studying initially with a dear friend and teacher, Belle Miller. Later, she became a student of Ina Mae Holt. As a student at San Jose State University she studied with Isabelle Chapuis-Starr, a student of the renowned Jean-Pierre Rampal.

Dr. Dennis was awarded a full scholarship to attend the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Bradley Garner and Jack Wellbaum. From this institution, Dr. Dennis was awarded both her Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. She was the winner of the school's prestigious Concerto Competition in 1997, resulting in a concerto performance with the Concert Orchestra the following season. She has participated in masterclasses of Julius Baker, Jill Felber, Randy Bowman and Samuel Sanders. As a member of the Music Ensemble for Eighteenth Century Music, she was an artist in residence at the Lucca Opera Festival in Lucca, Italy.

Besides frequent appearances as a soloist in recital, she has been a member of orchestras including the Northern Kentucky Symphony and the Master Sinfonia in California. Her broad repertoire encompasses a substantial amount of solo and ensemble literature ranging from Baroque to contemporary styles. A specialist in twentieth-century literature, she has recorded and performed the works of Lowell Liebermann, including his Piccolo Concerto, Sonata for Flute and Piano and Soliloquy. Maestro Liebermann has commented directly on her performances with such superlatives as "wonderful!" and "bravo!"

Dr. Dennis lives in Modesto, California where she maintains an active flute studio. She is web designer and avid gardener.

Philip Amalong

"It's
as if he's sitting down to a grand, luscious feast and inviting us to
share in it..."

An exciting and diverse performer, Philip Amalong is known for his fiery, passionate interpretations and breathtaking virtuosity. His love of the piano has led him to many adventures in the world of music and brought demand for his talents as both a soloist and collaborator. From his affinity for the music of Brahms to his warm embrace of much contemporary music, he navigates a broad range of styles with conviction and grace.

Growing up in the Philadelphia area, he began piano studies at the age of five with his mother and continued until the age of 17 with Marion Paugh. His early recital appearances were in various Philadelphia venues such as the Union League, the Academy of Music, the Hill School, Cabrini College, Curtis Institute, and Drexel University. He was first prize winner of the Drexel Keyboard Award, multiple winner in the Tri-County Concerts Association Competition, and finalist in the Philadelphia Orchestra Youth Competition and Pottstown Orchestra Youth Competition.

As a child Amalong developed his love for chamber music, performing with a piano trio coached by Metta Watts and Orlando Cole at The New School of Music and Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. His collaborative career has included recital performances with Terry King, cellist, Mark Gould (Principal Trumpet, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), William Ver Meulen (Principal Horn, Houston Symphony), Richard Hawley (Principal Clarinet, Cincinnati Symphony), and David Anderson (Principal Bass, Louisiana Philharmonic.) Amalong has performed with the RAZBIA ensemble, a chamber group formed for the residency program of Chamber Music America, and has also played and recorded with the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops, the Fort Wayne Symphony, and the Dayton Philharmonic. He performs in various cities throughout the U.S. has played in Germany, Czech Republic, France and Italy. In 2002 he appeared at the IBLA Festival in Newcastle Upon Tyne, U.K., as part of an international group of performers celebrating that city's cultural renaissance.

His recordings include world premieres of works by Angelo A. della Picca, David Anderson and Rick Sowash. He has produced numerous recording projects on which he has performed as a soloist or in partnership with other musicians.

Another aspect of Mr. Amalong's musical career is his work as a composer, both of concert music and of commercial scores for television and film productions. His hundreds of commercial credits include national jingles and underscores for Blockbuster Video, Totes, Chiquita and many
others. For television, he has composed or collaborated on underscores and featured songs for many of the daytime dramas including Guiding Light, All My Children, and The Young and the Restless. His music has been heard as background to the Academy Awards, the Golden Globe awards, and many television and film productions worldwide. Recently, he has worked with independent film directors, scoring films for festivals and independent release. His playing can be heard on the television special "Ohio," produced by Ken Burn's company Florentine Films featuring chamber music of Rick Sowash. He has composed numerous songs and instrumental works for performance, among them a setting of "Ave Maria" as a gift to his wife for their wedding.

Mr. Amalong attended the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music after winning a Van Cliburn Scholarship; here he studied with Frank Weinstock. Other awards during this time include first prize in the McElroy Competition and the Sarah B. Marvin Scholarship Award, and recently awards at the IBLA Grand Prize International Piano Competition in Sicily and a Fellowship to the Rome Festival in Rome, Italy. He has participated in masterclasses of Gary Graffman, Cecile Ousset, and Samuel Sanders. He earned a Master's degree also at CCM, studying with the celebrated pianist, Sandra Rivers. His chamber music coaches during this time included Peter Oundjian and Yehuda Hanani. Mr. Amalong has taught at Xavier University and is currently on the faculty at the College of Mount St. Joseph.